(PENSACOLA) --- West Llyod Street residents made it clear they refuse more housing on their block.
After several residents testified on July 16 at the Pensacola City Council meeting, elected officials rejected a planning board’s proposal for a future land use and zoning map amendment for 1005 West Lloyd Street that would allow for five homes and five accessory-dwelling units.
Planning Division Manager Cythnia Cannon laid out the plan to rezone the land use and zoning map from Low-Density Residential to Medium-Density Residential to allow the property to be divided into five new lots.
“It will increase the density of five dwelling units per acre to 12.4 dwelling units per acre,” Cannon said.
Those numbers are unacceptable to the neighbors of the adjacent property. Pointing to other residents behind her who opposed the amendment, Kim Cooper was the first resident to reject it.
(Photo: Resident Kim Cooper, one of several residents who rejected a proposed zoning, land use amendment on West Lloyd Street)
“It’s going to be so dense that we feel it is going to affect our property values,” Cooper said. “They say it is going to be affordable housing, but the fact is one of the homes sold was four hundred and something thousand.”
Mary Bertilli brought that financial point home, noting that Duet Development’s recent, adjacent construction is now an Airbnb. Cooper said “cramming 10 houses on the lot” is unacceptable. While Cooper said she wants homes for families and children, the zoning is unfair.
"We are being railroaded,” Cooper said. “This is too dense.”
Bertelli called the application language that describes the area as blighted “offensive” before noting the increased parking issues the amendment would create.
“This will only create parking in the right-of-way,” Bertelli said.
John Austin Cox also called the density “unreasonable for the area.”
(Photo: Resident Maria Bertelli called a proposed "affordable housing" project not equitable at all, with some of the properties selling over $400K)
Mary McCall also echoed concerns about density, saying that in her 14 years living across the street from the property, she has encouraged fair development, but this is not that. According to McCall, there are “serious infrastructure questions” as well as concerns about protected trees.
The amendment is not isolated, according to McCall, who said builder Duet Development LLC is building “a current project across the street from my house.”
(Photo: Resident Mary McCall said overdeveloped property across the street is unacceptable)
McCall pointed out that if the amendment were approved, it would allow for up to 19 new addresses on one corner, including the project across her street.
“Which is incredible,” McCall said.
Her husband, Edwin Duke McCall, also told officials "the density of the area is going to be excessive.”
Councilman Jared Moore said while the planning board and architects are “competent” and the unanimous decision to rezone “has a lot of weight,” he leaned toward approving the amendment.
“What I heard described is what a lot of experts tell us is good,” Moore said. “Sounds like good urbanization to me, so I am inclined to support the plan.”
(Photo: Developer Constantine (Kostyantyn) Bilyayev telling residents he would like to work with them over their concerns on his project)
Developer Constantine (Kostyantyn) Bilyayev attempted to defend the project, but before doing so, he turned to residents, explaining that he was available to speak with them personally.
“The only way to develop is to increase density,” Bilyayev said.
Council President Allison Patton ended the nearly hour-long public hearing, noting, “I want to see this development happen, but I understand the concerns of the neighborhood being split into five lots.” Patton confirmed that if they amended to an R1 AA, then the developer would not have to go back to the planning board; rather, it would only have to go through a permitting process.
However, Councilman Jennifer Brahier disagreed, putting Bilyayev to the test by “allowing him to reapproach and do what he said he was going to do, which was address the neighbor and come to terms with them."
“I think we are better off voting up or down at this point,” Brahier said.
(Photo: Final vote rejecting zoning, land use amendment for 1005 West Lloyd Street)
The council agreed, voting the amendment down 3-4.
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